antietam

 The Battle of Antietam on September 17, 1862,  peaked the first of Confederate Gen. Robert E. Lee's two attempts to carry the war into the North. About 40,000 Southerners were against the 87,000-man Federal Army of the Potomac under Gen. George B. McClellan. And when the fighting ended, the course of the American Civil War had been greatly changed. 

hNot only was this the first major battle that took place in the north, it was the bloodiest single day battle in American history with 23,000 casualties . 

The damage of the battle was about nine times as many Americans killed or wounded  than in June, 6, 1944 [ the so called longest day in World War II ].  There were also more soliders dead and wounded than all the deaths of soliders than in the revolutionary war, War of 1812, Mexican War, and Spanish- American War combined

The loss of soliders during the battle devastated both Armies, but damaged Lee's Army much more, due to the fact he had only started out with 45,000 soliders and Meades Army with 85,000.



The battle was also a great turning point in the war for the Union. Antietam not only halted Lee's invasion into the north, but foiled his effort to force to stop Lincolns demand for peace. The defeat also gave Lincoln the power to announce the Emancipation Proclamation, to end slavery in These United states.

Lincolin was also able to broaden the base of the war and may have prevented England and France from lending to support to a country that thought of humans as property. The battle sealed the fate of the Confederacy.

A painting to show the intensity of the battle , and how crowded the field was with men and guns.